Review on insecticidal and repellent activity of plant products for malaria mosquito control

Abstract

Mosquitoes are well known for their public health importance since they cause major health problems and diseases including malaria. Use of chemical insecticides in controlling malaria and to prevent disease vectored by mosquito has resulted in problems related to the adverse environmental effects for insecticides potential toxicity, high operational cost, community acceptance, and the development of insecticide resistance among the vectors. The factors mentioned above prompted the search for new means of malaria control strategies. Currently, the secondary metabolites of plants (plant extracts and essential oils) of mosquitocidal potential are recognized as potent alternatives to replace the synthetic insecticides in mosquito control programs due to their larvicidal, adulticidal, and repellent properties. In addition, mosquitocides from plant origin can contribute effective, inexpensive and safe method for malaria vector control. This review also showed that the use of indigenous plant-based products by individual and communities can provide as a prophylactic measure for protection against various mosquito-borne diseases. Therefore, plant products utilized as mosquitocides and repellents can serve as a supplementary and/or alternative control measure in combination with the ongoing anti-vector interventions and can also provide a useful tool to promote localized control of persistent malaria.